Multiscale optical system

Abstract

A means of enabling an imaging lens system that overcomes some of the costs and disadvantages of the prior art is disclosed. A lens system in accordance with the present invention reduces or eliminates one or more aberrations of an optical input by separating image collection functionality from image processing functionality. As a result, each function can be performed without compromising the other function. An embodiment of the present invention comprises a collection optic that provides a first optical field, based on light from a scene, to a processing optic that comprises a plurality of lenslets. The processing optic tiles the first optical field into a plurality of second optical fields. Each lenslet receives a different one of the plurality of second optical fields, reduces at least one localized aberration in its received second optical field, and provides the corrected optical field to a different one of plurality of photodetectors whose collective output is used to form a spatially correlated sub-image of that corrected optical field. The sub-images are readily combined into a spatially correlated image of the scene.

1. A method comprising:
 receiving light from a scene at a collector optic, wherein the collector optic is characterized by an image field; 
 providing a first optical field from the collector optic, wherein the first optical field is based on the light from the scene; 
 receiving a first portion of the first optical field at a first optical element, wherein the first portion is characterized by a first localized aberration; 
 providing a second optical field from the first optical element, wherein the second optical field is based on the first portion of the first optical field, and wherein the magnitude of the first localized aberration in the second optical field is less than the magnitude of the first localized aberration in the first portion of the first optical field; 
 receiving a second portion of the first optical field at a second optical element, wherein the second portion is characterized by a second localized aberration; and 
 providing a third optical field from the second optical element, wherein the third optical field is based on the second portion of the first optical field, and wherein the magnitude of the second localized aberration in the third optical field is less than the magnitude of the second localized aberration in the second portion of the first optical field. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 providing the first optical element as one of a plurality of optical elements, wherein the first optical element reduces the magnitude of the first localized aberration by an amount that is based on the position of the first optical element within the plurality of optical elements; and 
 providing the second optical element as one of the plurality of optical elements, wherein the second optical element reduces the magnitude of the second localized aberration by an amount that is based on the position of the second optical element within the plurality of optical elements. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 (1) forming a first sub-image, wherein the first sub-image is formed by operations comprising;
 (i) receiving the second optical field at a first array of photodetectors; 
 (ii) generating a first plurality of electrical signals, wherein the first plurality of electrical signals are generated by the first array of photodetectors based on the second optical field; 
 (iii) providing the first plurality of electrical signals to a processor; and 
 (iv) digitally processing the first plurality of electrical signals to form the first sub-image; and 
 
 (2) forming a second sub-image, wherein the second sub-image is formed by operations comprising;
 (i) receiving the third optical field at a second array of photodetectors; 
 (ii) generating a second plurality of electrical signals, wherein the second plurality of electrical signals are generated by the second array of photodetectors based on the third optical field; 
 (iii) providing the second plurality of electrical signals to the processor; and 
 (iv) digitally processing the second plurality of electrical signals to form the second sub-image. 
 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3  further comprising:
 selecting the size of the first array of photodetectors, wherein the size of the first array of photodetectors is selected based upon the aperture size of the first optical element; and 
 selecting the size of the second array of photodetectors, wherein the size of the second array of photodetectors is selected based upon the aperture size of the second optical element. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 3  further comprising forming a first image, wherein the first image is spatially correlated with the scene, and wherein the first image comprises the first sub-image and the second sub-image. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 3  further comprising arranging the first array of photodetectors and second array of photodetectors, wherein the first array of photodetectors defines a first plane and the second array of photodetectors defines a second plane, and wherein the first plane and second plane are different planes. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 3  further comprising providing a plurality of photodetector arrays, wherein the plurality of photodetector arrays comprises the first array of photodetectors and second array of photodetectors, and wherein the plurality of photodetector arrays are arranged in an arrangement that substantially matches the shape of the image field of the collector optic. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1  further comprising providing the second optical field such that the magnitude of a third localized aberration in the second optical field is less than the magnitude of the third localized aberration in the first portion of the first optical field. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 receiving the second optical field at a second optical element, wherein the second optical element tiles the second optical field into a first plurality of optical sub-fields, and wherein each of the first plurality of optical sub-fields is characterized by a third localized aberration; 
 providing a second plurality of optical sub-fields, wherein each of the plurality of second optical sub-fields is based on a different optical sub-field of the first plurality of optical sub-fields, and wherein the magnitude of the third localized aberration in each of the plurality of second optical sub-fields is less than the magnitude of the third localized aberration in its corresponding optical sub-field of the first plurality of optical sub-fields; 
 receiving the third optical field at a third optical element, wherein the third optical element tiles the third optical field into a third plurality of optical sub-fields, and wherein each of the third plurality of optical sub-fields is characterized by a fourth localized aberration; and 
 providing a fourth plurality of optical sub-fields, wherein each of the plurality of fourth optical sub-fields is based on a different optical sub-field of the third plurality of optical sub-fields, and wherein the magnitude of the fourth localized aberration in each of the plurality of fourth optical sub-fields is less than the magnitude of the fourth localized aberration in its corresponding optical sub-field of the third plurality of optical sub-fields. 
 
     
     
       10. A method comprising:
 tiling a first optical field into a plurality of second optical fields, wherein the first optical field is based on light from a scene; 
 providing a plurality of third optical fields, wherein each of the plurality of third optical fields is based on a different one of the plurality of second optical fields, and wherein the magnitude of a first localized aberration in each of the plurality of third optical fields is less than the magnitude of the first localized aberration in its corresponding second optical field; and 
 forming a plurality of sub-images based on the plurality of third optical fields, wherein the plurality of sub-images and the plurality of third optical fields has a one-to-one correspondence. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10  further comprising combining the plurality of sub-images to form a first image of the scene, wherein the first image is spatially correlated with the scene. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 10  wherein the plurality of sub-images is formed by operations comprising:
 receiving a different one of the plurality of third optical fields at each of a plurality of photodetector arrays; 
 generating a plurality of output signal arrays, wherein each of the plurality of output signal arrays is based on the third optical field received by a different one of the plurality of photodetector arrays; and 
 digitally processing each of the plurality of output signal arrays to form a different one of the plurality of sub-images. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12  further comprising:
 providing the plurality of third optical fields to the plurality of photodetector arrays, wherein each of the third optical fields is provided by a different optical element of a plurality of optical elements; and 
 determining the size of each of the plurality of photodetector arrays based upon the aperture size of its corresponding optical element of the plurality of optical elements. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 12  further comprising providing the plurality of photodetector arrays, wherein each of the plurality of photodetector arrays lies on a first plane. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 12  further comprising providing the plurality of photodetector arrays in an arrangement wherein the photodetector arrays are not co-planar. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 12  further comprising providing the plurality of photodetector arrays in an arrangement wherein the photodetector arrays are co-planar. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 12  further comprising:
 receiving the light from the scene at a collector optic, wherein the collector optic provides the first optical field to a processor optic, and wherein the collector optic is characterized by an image field; 
 providing the processor optic, wherein the processor optic tiles the first optical field, and wherein the processor optic comprises a plurality of optical elements; 
 providing the plurality of photodetector arrays, wherein the plurality of photodetector arrays and the plurality of optical elements collectively define a plurality of sub-imaging units, and wherein the plurality of sub-imaging units are provided in an arrangement that substantially matches the shape of the image field. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 10  further comprising providing the plurality of third optical fields such that the magnitude of a second localized aberration in each of the plurality of third optical fields is less than the magnitude of the second localized aberration in its corresponding second optical field. 
     
     
       19. An apparatus comprising:
 a collector optic, wherein the collector optic receives light from a scene and provides a first optical field that is based on the light, and wherein the collector optic is characterized by an image field; and 
 a processor optic comprising a plurality of optical elements, wherein each of the plurality of optical elements is dimensioned and arranged to reduce the magnitude of a first localized aberration; 
 wherein the processor optic tiles the first optical field into a plurality of second optical fields, and wherein each of the plurality of optical elements receives a different one of the plurality of second optical fields and provides a third optical field based on its received second optical field; 
 wherein the magnitude of the first localized aberration in each of the plurality of third optical fields is less than the magnitude of the first localized aberration in its corresponding second optical field. 
 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of  claim 19  further comprising an aperture array, wherein the aperture array comprises a plurality of photodetector arrays, and wherein each of the plurality of photodetector arrays receives a different one of the plurality of third optical fields, and further wherein each of the plurality of photodetector arrays provides an electrical signal array that is based on its received third optical field. 
     
     
       21. The apparatus of  claim 20  further comprising a processor, wherein the processor forms a plurality of sub-images, and wherein each of the plurality of sub-images is based on a different one of the plurality of electrical signal arrays. 
     
     
       22. The apparatus of  claim 21  wherein the processor forms a first image based on the plurality of sub-images, and wherein the first image is spatially correlated with the scene. 
     
     
       23. The apparatus of  claim 20  wherein the plurality of photodetector arrays are co-planar. 
     
     
       24. The apparatus of  claim 20  wherein the plurality of photodetector arrays are monolithically integrated. 
     
     
       25. The apparatus of  claim 20  wherein a first photodetector array of the plurality of photodetector arrays is located on a first plane, and wherein a second photodetector array of the plurality of photodetector arrays is located on a second plane, and wherein the first plane and second plane are different planes. 
     
     
       26. The apparatus of  claim 20  wherein the plurality of photodetector arrays are arranged in an arrangement that substantially matches the shape of the image field. 
     
     
       27. The apparatus of  claim 20  wherein each of the plurality of photodetector arrays and a different one of the plurality of optical elements collectively define a sub-imaging unit, and wherein the plurality of sub-imaging units are arranged in an arrangement based on the shape of the image field. 
     
     
       28. The apparatus of  claim 19  further comprising an aperture array, wherein each aperture of the aperture array comprises a plurality of optical elements, and wherein each aperture of the aperture array receives a different one of the plurality of third optical fields, and further wherein each aperture of the aperture array tiles its received third optical field into a plurality of fourth optical fields. 
     
     
       29. The apparatus of  claim 28  wherein each optical element is dimensioned and arranged to reduce the magnitude of the first localized aberration. 
     
     
       30. The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein at least one of the plurality of optical elements is dimensioned and arranged to reduce the magnitude of a second localized aberration. 
     
     
       31. An apparatus comprising:
 a collector optic, wherein the collector optic receives light from a scene and provides a first optical field that is based on the light, and wherein the collector optic is characterized by an image field; 
 a processor optic comprising a plurality of first optical elements, wherein the plurality of first optical elements is arranged in an arrangement that substantially matches the image field; and wherein each of the plurality of optical elements is dimensioned and arranged to reduce the magnitude of a first localized aberration; and 
 a plurality of photodetector arrays, wherein each of the plurality of photodetector arrays receives a portion of the first optical field from a different one of the plurality of first optical elements, and wherein each of the plurality of photodetector arrays provides a sub-image that is based on its received portion of the first optical field. 
 
     
     
       32. The apparatus of  claim 31  wherein each of the plurality of optical elements is arranged as a relay lens between the image field and its optically coupled photodetector array. 
     
     
       33. The apparatus of  claim 32  wherein each of the plurality of first optical elements further comprises a second optical element that is dimensioned and arranged to reduce the magnitude of a second localized aberration. 
     
     
       34. The apparatus of  claim 31  further comprising a processor, wherein the processor forms a composite image that comprises the plurality of sub-images, and wherein the composite image is spatially correlated with the scene.